(Photo: Gabrielle Mercer / WCSN)
ASU hockey head coach Greg Powers said Friday’s 8-0 loss to Boston University boiled down to a “weird game.”
“It’s kind of unexplainable, but it is what it is,” Powers said.
The Sun Devils (7-15-5) carried the play during the first period, even though the leader in goals for the team, freshman Johnny Walker, received a game misconduct and was ejected in the first five minutes of the game.
“It was a double whammy for us with him getting a five-minute major and then clearly taking our top goal scorer out,” Powers said.
The five-minute major gave the Boston University Terriers (12-11-2) the time they needed to improve their 22.57% power play percentage.
BU’s Bobo Carpenter did just that when he converted on the man-advantage seven minutes into the first period and scored his seventh power play goal of the season.
It was a slow start for both teams as each had less than 15 shots on goal by the end of the first 20 minutes. While Boston found the back of the net four times, ASU was unable to maneuver the puck past the six NHL drafted defensemen in BU’s lineup.
“I think we really did have a good start to the game,” ASU captain Dylan Hollman said. “Then obviously that power play goal kind of took the wind out of our sails and then they took off from there.”
Freshman defenseman Dominic Garcia received three penalties in the second frame, one of which led to Boston’s third goal of the second period.
“Again, when you have him (Garcia) take penalties like that, he’s out for 14 minutes, he’s a huge piece…he’s a huge killer for us,” Powers said. “So, you give them a four-minute, a five-minute, that’s nine minutes on the power play. You’re not going to win a game.”
By the end of the second period, goaltender Joey Daccord had faced 27 shots and allowed seven goals. When walk-on freshman Mike DePhillips replaced the consistent starter in the third, Daccord’s save percentage was .741.
DePhillips allowed one goal during his first 20 minutes in between the pipes, and Powers said he was proud of his effort. However, he said the third-string goalie would not be starting Saturday.
“When Joey competes, he’s elite. That’s why he’s a draft pick,” Powers said. “He’s allowed to have a game like that after the season he’s had for us, and he’ll bounce back, I don’t have a doubt in my mind.”
From Boston’s perspective, the shutout will be taken as a humble victory, as the Terriers are struggling to improve their overall record and ASU has the tendency to come back on Saturday nights.
“We certainly understand what’s ahead of us tomorrow night,” BU head coach David Quinn said. “I know that they’ve had a game or two like this before and come back and won the next night. Our guys are well aware of that.”
